Reticle mount and adjusting mechanism



Jan. 20, 1953 J. L. RAWLINGS RETICLE MOUNT AND ADJUSTING MECHANISM 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 14, 1948 FIG.4.

F I 1N1 'ENTOR.

JOHN LlONEL RAWLINGS 'UW-M- flaw M Jan. 20, 1953 J. 1.. RAWLINGS 2,625,742

RETICLE MOUNT AND ADJUSTING MECHANISM Filed June 14, 1948 2 SI-IEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR. JOHN LIONEL RAWLINGS i -uv-M 4v: ATTdZ/VEYi Patented Jan. 2Q, 1953 RETICLE MOUNT AND ADJUSTING MECHANISM John Lionel Rawlings, Elmont, N. Y., assignor to Kollmorgen Optical Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 14, 1948, Serial No. 32,917

7 Claims.

1 This invention relates to improvements in optical instruments and it relates particularly to reticle mounts for use in opticalinstruments,such a for example,telesc'opic riflesights, fire control instruments and the like. 1

The adjustable reticles commonly used in: op-

tical instruments must be precisely positioned and accurately adjustable to be of any substantial utility. Inasmuch as telescopic sights and the like are subjected to considerable (shockgduring. firing, the adjusting mechanism for the;.,reticle;

must be sufficiently sturdy to prevent the reticle from being jarred out-of .its adjusted position. Moreover, the adjusting mechanism should be of such nature that movement of the adjusting knob or dial will cause a corresponding movement of,

the reticle to correct for range or elevation and/ or windage.

Because of the precision nature of the reticle adjustment and the necessity for a sturdy supporting and adjusting mechanism, such mounts;

have been rather complicated heretoiore and relatively expensive, Usually, the reticle mounts include guide rods opirames alongwhich vvthe reticles are adjusted to correct for rangeor wind ageyor both. Whenv only one reticleadjustment isprovided the guides and adjusting screws canbe reducedin number and complexity. Nevertheless, the guides must be machined within; very close tolerances in order to prevent wobbling of the reticle and itssupporting frame. Also, the

adjusting mechanism, usually a threaded device, must be machined within extremely close tolerancesso that backlash i sreduced to a minimum.

An object of the present invention i to provide a simplified form of reticle mount which reduces the number of precision parts to a minimum without loss of accuracy in adjusting of thedevice.

a reticle mount which may be easily assembled and introduced into the lens tube of the optical instrument and which, when assembled, is a precision instrument permitting very fine adjustment of the reticle.

A further object of the invention is to, provide a simplified form of reticle mount which permits adjustment for elevation or range and windage by means of conveniently located adjusting knobs and which is not jarred out of adjustment by any reasonably expected shock or impact.

The above and further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of typical forms of reticle mounts embodying the present invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide In accordance with the present invention, a reticle mount has been provided in which the ret'IQlexis supported byiza holder which. is suspendedimovlably by means .of a, pair of elongated members, which always maintain the reticle perpendicularto the optical axis of the instrument and normally urge it against a member for adjusting the reticle. More particularly, the reticle mount. may include a tubular member which .is fixedly mounted in the lens tube or barrel.of ian, opticalinstrument and which supports another smaller tubular element by means of a pair of leaf spring members which permit movement of the smaller tubular member transversely of the lens tube or barrel. When adjustment for only elevation or windage is desired, the reticle maysbe'. mounted directly on the smaller tubularmember and may be adjusted by means of a suitable knob and plunger mechanism which flexes the springs to displace the reticle transversely of the; tube. In devices requiring adjustment for bothelevation and windage, a second set of spring elements may be connected to the smallertubular member and disposed generally in planespermit ting them'to'fiex at a right angle to the :direction'of flexing of-thefirst-mentioned group oi prings. The reticle maybe carried-by the second pairof springs and, suitable adjusting-knobs may e. pr vi ed. iorrflexi ec th r or both s tsbf springs to adjust the reticle along right-angularly relate'djlines. ,Due to the inherent transverse rigidity'of the springsit is-unnecessary to provide guiding-elements for-any of the elements of the mount; and adjustmentcf the reticle by flexing thesprings does not causedrifting or lateralm reme p here s For-a better understanding of the present in-' vention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 is a view in longitudinal section through a. portion of an optical instrument having a reticle mount and adjusting means of a type embodying the present invention installed therein;-

- Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the reticle mount shown in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a view 3-3 of Fig. 1;

in cross-section taken on line Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section through;

a part of an optical instrument containing a reticle mount which is capable of adjustment for both windage and elevation;

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken on line 5-5- of Fi 4;

Fig, 6 is a perspective view of still another type of reticle mount shown removed from the optical.

instrument and having the adjusting screws thereon shown diagrammatically; and

Fig. 7 is a view in longitudinal section of a portion of an optical instrument with the reticle mount of Fig. 6 installed therein and one of the adjusting screws illustrated diagrammatically.

Reticle mounts of the type embodying the present invention may be used with many different types of optical instruments, and it is disclosed herein as used in a telescopic sight for a rifle.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the telescopic sight may include the usual lens tube or barrel. I which has at one end a removable lens tube section II in which lenses of thetelescope may be mounted. It will be understood that the telescopic sight may include the usual lenses and prisms, if it is of the prism type. The reticle mount illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is adjustable for elevation only. Adjustment for windage may be accomplished by moving the entire telescope as is common in many types of telescope mounts.

The reticle mount includes a tubular supporting member I2 which may be formed of metal, plastic or the like which is detachably retained in the tube ID by engagement between the shoulder I3 in the tube andthe lens tube portion II. Projecting from the right-hand end of the sup.- porting member I2 are a pair of thin, wide springs I4 and I5 which are, located on opposite sides of the axis of the lens tube II! and the tubular support I2. Preferably, as shown in Fig. 1, the left-hand ends of the springs are set in slots I6 and I1 in the end of the support I2, these. slots being inclined to the axis of the tube so that the springs I4 and I5 wouldnormally tend to incline upwardlyas viewed in Fig. 1. The opposite ends of thesprings I4 and I5 are received in slots I8 and I9 in a tubular reticle holder 2B. The slots I8 and I9 are parallel with the slots I6 and I! so that when the springs are relieved of pressure, they would normally tend to force the reticle holder 20 upwardly against the upper side of the barrel or tube II]. When, however, the holder 2!] is forced downwardly, the springs I4 and I5 are flexed as shown in Fig. l. Springs I4 and I5 therefore act to force the reticle holder 20 out of axial alignment with the support I2 but at the same timeto maintain these two elements parallel regardless of the adjusted position of the reticle-holder 20. As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the reticle 2I may be mounted on the right-hand end of the member 20 by means of suitable screws 22 or in any other desired way. The reticle 2| is perpendicular to the axis of the tube In and remains so in all adjusted positions. In order to adjust the position of the reticle holder 20, an adjusting mechanism is provided which is suitable for use, for example, on a telescopic rifle sight. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the adjusting mechanism may include a saddle member 25 formed of plastic or the like which is shaped toconform to the external curvature of the tube or barrel II]. The saddle is provided with a circular recess 26 therein for receiving the adjusting knob 21 and other mechanism. The saddle 25 is retained in position by'means of a flanged tubular guide member 28 which has a cylindrical body portion 280. that extends through an opening 29 in the saddle and an opening 30 in the lens tube. This guide member 28 is provided with an annular flange 28b which overlies the bottom of the recess 26 and is secured to the lens tube by means of suitable screws 30 which extend through the flange 28b,- the interposed portion of the saddle 25 and are threaded into the barrel Ill. The guide member 28 is provided with an internal annular shoulder 28c and also with downwardly extending portions 28d and 28e on opposite sides thereof which are provided with slots 32 and 33 for a purpose to be described.

Mounted within the member 28 is a cylindrical member 34 having an outwardly projecting flange 35 which bears against the shoulder 28c and prevents upward movement of the member 34 when theseelements are assembled. The flange 35 is retained in engagement with the shoulder by means of a split spring washer 3B which engages in an annular groove 31 near the upper end of the member 34 and bears against the flange 28b. The spring washer 36 assures accurate positioningv of the cylindrical member 34 in the guide member 28.

The adjusting knob 21 is fixed to the upper end of the member 34 by means of suitable screws 38 so that when the knob is rotated, the member 34 is alsorotated. It will be understood that the knob 21 may be provided with a suitable scale indicatingrange or elevation and may also be provided with a slot or kerf 39 permitting adjustment of the knob by means of a small coin or the like.

The cylindrical member 34 is provided with an internally threaded bore 40 for receivin the threaded portion 4Iof a plunger 42, the lower end of which bears against a fiat 43 on the reticle holder 25. The plunger42 is capablev of axial movement but is retained against rotation by v means of a cross pin 44, the opposite ends of which extend into the s1ots32 and 33. With this adjusting mechanism, rotation of the knob 21 causes endwise or axial movement of the plunger 42 which in turn causes upward or downward movement of the reticle holder 20.

The springs I4 and I5 are relatively thin but have substantial width and are suiflciently strong in their spring action to retain the reticle holder 20 firmly against the lower end of the plunger 42 so thateven if the telescopic sight is subjected to a sufficiently great shock to cause the reticle to move downwardly, the springs will return it firmly against the plunger 42 and thus into accurateadjustment. Due to the substantial width of the springs I4 and I5, they are very rigid transversely and thus the reticle cannot be displaced crosswise of the springs by any stress which would not seriously damage the sight.

Generally, the same principles may be utilized in' a reticle mount-which is adjusted both for windage and elevation. A typical reticle mount of this type is disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5. In this reticle mount, a reticle support 50 of the type described above is mounted in the lens barrel or tube SI and is provided with springs 52 and 53 like those'described above. The opposite ends of the springs 52 and 53 support a tubular member 54 which is provided with a rigid finger or arm 55 for engagement by the adjusting plunger 56 of the reticle adjustment 5?. The reticle adjustment 5! is like that described above and disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3.

Themember 54 carries a pair'of spring members 58 and 59; the fiat sides of which are disposed perpendicular to the flat sides of the springs 52 and 53. The inner ends of the springs 58 and 59 are connected to the reticle holder 60 which may be an annular or tubular member on which the reticle plate BI is supported by screws or the like. The reticle support 60 is also provided with a rigid finger or arm 62 for engageing mechanism 64. o. 1 The springs 52 and 53 are inclined with respect to the support 55 so as to urge the arm 55 strongly.

against the plunger 56 and the windage adjustment springs 58 and 59 are also inclined with respect to the supporting member 54 to urge the arm 62 tightly against the plunger 53.

The arrangement of these springs is such that operation of the adjusting mechanism 5'? will cause the supporting ring 54, the springs 58 and 59, the reticle holder 65 and the reticle 6| to move up and down bodily thereby making possible adjustment for range or elevation. Actuation of the adjusting mechanism 64 causes flexing of the springs 53 and 59 without in any way changing the adjustment of the springs 52 and 53 so that the reticle BI is adjusted transversely of the tube in a horizontal plane to correct for windage. Thus, the range and windage adjustments are relatively independent. The abovedescribed construction of course does away with the usual guide elements but at the same time assures a precise adjustment of the reticle.

The reticle mount is susceptible to further modification, and, iLdesired, 'the .;sets' "of-springs may be disposed substantially end to'end rather than one within the other. This form of reticle mount is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Inthis modification, the support 10 is mounted in the lens barrel or tube H as described above and supports the tubular member 12 in the same way by means of the fiat, substantially paral1el'spring's' 13 and 14. The member 12, as best shown in Fig. 6, is provided with parallel flats l5 and 15 to which ,begconsideredas illustrative and not as limiting the-scope of the following claims.

I claim:

, l;." :A-,reticle mount for telescopic devices, comthe ends of the springs '73 and Marc brazedor otherwise secured and with another set of flats- 11 and 18 which are at right angles to the flats 15 and 16. Another pair of springs 19 and 85 are connected at one end to the flats H and 18 and supported at their outer ends in a ring-like member 8| which acts as the holder for the f reticle. l The reticle 82 may be mounted at the inner end of a conical sleeve or tube 83 which is carried by the} ring 8[ and extends close to the memb r elon ated tubeaa bring t-t reticle near the zone of the opticalsystem where the lightrays converge so that the reticle can be suflicien-tly small to permit substantial adjustment inthe lens barrel or tube ll without reduc-- ing the field ofthe sight Adjustment of V the reticle 82 may be accomplished h by means-pf plungers and -adjusting-knobs like those, described above -and-herein illustrated as threaded members 84 and 85 which engage the ears 85 and 8'1 extending from the tube 83.

Upon downward movement of the member 84, the springs 13 and 14 are flexed downwardly, thereby moving downwardly the reticle. 82 and all of the remaining supporting structure, except the member 15. Upon adjustment of the threaded member 85 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 6, only the springs 19 and 85 are fiexed, thereby permitting transverse movement of the reticle 82 to adjust for windage. The stifiness of the springs 13 and 14 prevents sidewise shifting of the member 12 during adjustment for windage while the stifiness of the springs l9 and 85 transmits the movement of the threaded member 84 to the springs 13 and 14 in adjusting for elevation or range.

Many other variations may be made in the arrangement of the adjusting mechanisms without departing from the invention and, therefore, the forms of the invention described above should prising a tubular support adapted to be mounted in a telescope tube substantially coaxially thereof, a first pair of'elongated, thin springs of greater width than thickness, the Width of said springs rendering them substantially rigid in the direction of their width, said springs being fixed at one end to said support and adapted to extend substantially lengthwise of said tube, a tubular member fixed to the ends of said springs opposite to said support, said member being of smaller external dimensions than the internal dimensions of said tube, a second pair of elongated, thin springs of greater width than thickness, the width of said springs rendering them substantially rigid in the direction of their width, said springs being fixed at one end to said tubular member and adapted to extend lengthwise of said tube, said second springs being disposed with their Wider faces substantially perpendicular to the wider faces of said first pair of springs, a reticle supported by the, ends or said second pair of springs 'opposite to said member, and separate means "tofiex said first and second springs to move said reticle along right angularly related linesl' 2. A reticle mount for telescopic devices, comprising a tubular support adapted to be mounted ina telescope tube, a first pair of flat, substantially straight and parallel springs fixed at one end to said support and adapted to extend sub stantially lengthwise of said tube, a tubular meme ber fixed to the ends of said springs opposite to said support, said member being of smaller external dimensions than the internal dimensions of said tube, a second pair of fiat, substantially straight and parallel springs fixed at one end to .said tubular member and adapted to extend lengthwise of said tube toward said support, said second springs being disposed with theirfiat faces substantially perpendicular to the flat faces of said first pair of springs; a reticle supported by-the endsof said secondpair of springs opposite to said member, and separate means to flex said first and'secondsprings to move said reticle-along right -angularly:relatedlines.

-3..-A-re tic1e mount for telescopic devices, comprising "a tubular-support adapted to-be mounted in a telescope tube-substantially coaxially-thereof, a-first pair'ofthinfiat, substantially straight and parallelsprings fixed" at one end to said support and "adapted to extend substantially lengthwise of said tube, a tubular member fixed to the ends of said springs opposite to said support, said member being of smaller external dimensions than the internal dimensions of said tube, a second pair of thin fiat, substantially straight and parallel springs fixed at one end to said tubular member and adapted to extend lengthwise of saidtube away from said support, said second springs being disposed with their flat faces substantially perpendicular to the fiat faces of said first pair of springs, a reticle supported by the ends of said second pair of springs opposite to said member, and separate means to flex said first and second springs to move said reticle along right angularly related lines.

4. A reticle mount for telescopic devices, comprising a tubular support adapted to be mounted in a telescope tube substantially coaxially thereof, a first pair of thin fiat, substantially straight and parallel springs fixed at one end to said support smegma and adapted to extend substantially lengthwise of said tube, a tubularmember fixed to the ends of said springs opposite to said support, said member being of smaller external dimensions than the internal dimensions of said tube, a second pair of thin flat, substantially straight anclparallel springs fixed at one end to said tubular member and adapted to extend lengthwis of said tube, said second springs being disposed with their fiat faces substantially perpendicular to the fiat faces of said first pair of springs,,,a tubular reticle holder connected to the ends of said second pair of springs opposite to said support, said reticl holder having a portion. extending toward said support between said second pairof springs and having an inner end adjacent to said support, areticle mounted on said inner end, and separate means to flex said springsto move said reticle along right angularlyrelated paths. 5. A reticle mount for optical instruments comprising a first tubular member adapted to be fixedly mounted in the lens tube of an optical instrument substantially coaxially thereof, a second tubular member, a pair of substantially straight ribbon-like spring strips having wide faces and narrow edges connected at opposite ends to said first and second members to extend lengthwise of said tube and maintain said members substantially parallel while permitting relative movement therebetween, said springs being inclined at an angle to the axes of said members to urge them out of axial alignment, a third tubular member, a second pairof substantially straight, ribbon-like spring strips to extend lengthwise of said tube, the second pair of strips having wider faces and narrow edgesconnecting said second and third members to maintain them substantially parallel, the wid faces of said second pair of strips being substantially perpen dicular to the wide faces of said first pair of strips to permit movement of said third member relative to said second member at substantially a rightangle to the movement of said second member relative to said first member, and a reticle supported by said third member.

6. A reticle mount for optical instruments com-v prising a first tubular member adapted to be fixedly mounted in the lens tube of an optical instrument substantially coaxially thereof,.a second tubular member, a pair of substantially straight spring stripshaving substantially parallel wide opposite faces and narrow edges connected at opposite ends to said first and second members to extend lengthwise of saidv tube and maintain said members substantially parallel while permitting relative movementtherebetween, said springs being inclined at an angle to the axes of said members to urgev them out of axial alignment, a third tubularmember, a second pair of substantially straight spring strips tov extend lengthwise of said tube, the second pair of. strips havin substantially parallel wide opposite faces and narrow edges connectingsaid second and third members to maintain themsubstantially parallel, the wide faces of said second pair of strips being substantially perpendicular to the wide. faces of said first pair of strips to permit movement of said third member relative to said second member at substantially a right angle to the movement of said second member relative to said firstmember, said second pair of spring strips being inclined at an angle to the axes of said second and third'members to urge them out of axial alignment, and a reticle supported by said third member.

. 7. An optical instrument comprising a lens tube, a. tubular supporting element fixedly mounted in said lens. tube substantially coaxially thereof,-a pair of substantially straight spring strips having opposite substantially parallel wide faces and narrow edges, each fixed at one end tosaid supporting element and extending lengthwise of said tube on opposite sides of its axis with their wide faces spaced apart and substantially parallel, a tubular member fixed to the opposite ends of said strips and movable in a path transverse to the axis of said tube by flexing of said strips, an adjusting knob rotatably mounted on said lens tube, means responsive to rotation of said knob for flexing said strips to move said member alongsaid path, a second pair of substantially straight spring strips having opposite substantially parallel wide faces and narrow edges, each fixed at one end to said tubular memher and extending lengthwise of said tube on opposite sides of its axis, said second pair of strips being flexible transversely at substantially a right angle to the first-mentioned pair of strips, another tubular member. fixed to the ends of the second pair of strips, a reticle supported by said other tubularmember, another knob rotatably mounted on said tube, and means responsive to rotationof said other knob for flexing said second pairof spring strips to move said other tubular member relative to the first-mentioned tubular member.

JOHN LIONEL RAWLINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

